With introductions by John Doe and Marilyn Manson, the 5th annual Sunset Strip Music Festival kicked off at The House of Blues with a special tribute to The Doors. Performing with founding members Ray Mazarek and Robby Krieger were Freddy Perez, Billy Morrison, Matt Sorum, Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara, Mark McGrath, and Linda Perry. [...]

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Before heading to Europe with his legendary band X, songwriter/poet John Doe made a solo stop at The Echo performing a little country, a little folk and always a little punk. The Lonely Wild opened. Photos by Sandra Vahtel The Lonely Wild:

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Just when you think summer’s over, a heat wave comes to L.A. and Waved Out 2 comes to the Echoplex, to hose us down with the reverb-soaked sounds of teenage noise pop, chill wave, surf punk and psych-folk. I didn’t know what to expect.

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The mood of the music reveals Dylan as he is now and the lazy grooves are perfect for a man who no doubt has had some time to reflect, but has not lost his sense of fun or caustic wit. “Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum” is an example of a tune with this swing and bite. I was warned that Dylan no longer plays guitar on stage. Finally seeing Dylan and he won’t pick-up a guitar? Blasphemy!

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Vedder put it best when he said “There are laws in this state against things like gay marriage, but there isn’t a law in California that says you can’t lose your shit at a rock ‘n’ roll concert.” On this night, he was correct.

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Exene Cervenka helped invent what Los Angeles is now and helped save the best of what it used to be. She releases a new solo album Somewhere Gone on Bloodshot in October and is moving back to California after years in a historic farmhouse in Missouri. She speaks now while camping on the beach. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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The dynamic between Danny and Rena while on stage together is like watching a younger version of John Doe and Exene, even sounding like them as they trade off vocal responsibilities during their duets. The group’s jumpy raucousness presents the perfect kiss off to summer.

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The Minutemen’s Double Nickels On The Dime is one of the several weathered foundations of L.A. RECORD. Exactly twenty-five years later, it still starts bands and makes friends. Minutemen bassist Mike Watt meets for pizza at San Pedro’s excellent Pavich’s Pizza for remembering D. Boon and George Hurley and that guy Mike Watt in the summer of 1984. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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The Sadies are Canada’s magnificent responding echo to California country and just finished a set of shows with Black Mountain. Their new album (featuring John Doe, one in a long line of Sadies collaborators also including Andre Williams, Robyn Hitchcock and Jon Langford) is out now on Yep Roc. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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